A GIRL WHO DIDN'T BELONG

chapter 6 THE RETURN

The next day came slower than she expected, each lecture dragging like wet clothes, every tick of the clock pulling her closer to the moment she wasn’t sure she wanted but couldn’t stop imagining, by late afternoon the sky was bruised with the colors of sunset, the streets carrying the faint bite of evening air, she found herself walking toward the café before she could convince herself not to, each step felt like crossing another invisible line, she pushed open the door and the smell of coffee wrapped around her again, familiar, almost comforting, but the sight of him at the same corner table twisted her comfort into something sharper, Dennis looked up from his phone the instant she entered, that same unreadable focus locking on her as if the rest of the room had disappeared, this time he didn’t stand, just motioned to the seat beside him, a small smile tugging at his lips, she sat slowly, her bag resting against her thigh, and he slid a fresh cup toward her, the steam curling up between them like a secret, “Thought you might show,” he said, voice easy but eyes still too intent, “And if I hadn’t?” she asked, trying for casual but hearing the strain in her own tone, “Then I’d have found another way,” his reply was quick, certain, like there had never been another possible outcome, she took a sip to buy herself time, the coffee hot and dark, grounding her but also making her pulse quicker, he leaned back, watching her with that same composure she was starting to understand wasn’t composure at all, but control, “I thought about you last night,” he said suddenly, and the bluntness of it made her nearly choke, “Dennis…” she started, but he cut her off with a small shake of his head, “No. Let me,” his voice dipped lower, just for her, “I thought about the way you looked across that table, the way you didn’t say no but didn’t say yes either, the way you stayed,” his fingers tapped lightly against the table, an unhurried rhythm that somehow felt like it matched her heartbeat, she stared at him, torn between telling him to stop and leaning in to hear more, “You could have walked away after class,” he continued, “You didn’t. You came here. Twice.” she looked away, watching the foam dissolve in her cup, “I came for coffee,” she said, knowing even as the words left her they weren’t the truth, “Is that what we’re calling it?” he murmured, leaning just close enough for her to feel the warmth of his breath, the café’s noise faded in that moment, her senses narrowing to the way his knee brushed hers under the table, light, deliberate, his gaze never leaving her face, “You think I don’t know you’re curious?” he asked softly, “Curious about what?” she challenged, though her voice wasn’t as steady as she wanted, his eyes dropped briefly to her mouth before meeting hers again, “About how far this could go,” her pulse kicked hard, heat unfurling low in her belly, she should have stood up, she knew that, but her hands stayed wrapped around the cup, her body leaning in despite herself, “You’re my lecturer,” she said, one last attempt at reason, “And you’re my distraction,” he countered without hesitation, “Every day. Every damn lecture.” her lips parted to respond but he moved first, his hand brushing hers under the table, not a grab, just the slow drag of his fingers against her skin, enough to make her breath catch, the contact lingered, sparking through her until she pulled back slightly, his smile deepening like he’d just confirmed something he’d been certain of, “I’m not asking for an answer tonight,” he said finally, sitting back, giving her space but not really, “I’m asking you to stop pretending you don’t feel it too,” she swallowed, the truth heavy and hot in her chest, she didn’t promise anything, didn’t agree, but when he paid for both coffees and rose to leave, she followed him out into the cool night without thinking, their shoulders brushing as they walked in silence, the city lights stretching ahead like a road she couldn’t see the end of, and maybe didn’t want to